Key Takeaways:
- President Trump nominates Amazon executive David Keeling to head OSHA.
- Keeling’s record draws critics, as numerous OSHA violations occurred during his tenure at UPS and Amazon.
- UPS faced multiple fines and citations for heat-related safety lapses while Keeling was in a safety role.
- Amazon saw the injury rate at warehouses increase and was fined $145,000 over unsafe conditions during Keeling’s time.
- The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is yet to schedule a confirmation hearing for Keeling.
From Hot Seats to Amazon’s Hot Water – The Keeling Controversy
Trump has dropped a new name in the ring for the top role in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). David Keeling, an Amazon executive, is the nominee. His time brokering safety for two colossal corporations will be put under a hefty microscope.
Keeling’s Past in UPS safety: Heat and Violations
Let’s rewind to 2019. At that time, Keeling was in a key safety role at UP – the global package delivery giant. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though. UPS workers were being exposed to dangerous levels of heat. David Keeling was at the helm of safety, yet the company did nothing to reduce these risks.
The company faced punitive actions from California safety regulators. UPS copped more than $140,000 in fines solely for heat-related safety violations from 2015 to 2019. Air conditioning installation in their delivery trucks came around only in 2024, thanks to International Brotherhood of Teamsters negotiations.
Amazon, Injuries, and Keeling’s Management
Flash forward to his time at Amazon, and Keeling’s safety record isn’t looking any less controversial. Amazon had to shell out a hefty fine of $145,000 in 2020 due to unsafe conditions in Keeling’s charge.
And the situation didn’t look rosier as time went on. Injury rates in Amazon’s warehouses witnessed an uptick from 2020 onward. It had become clear that Amazon was a risky place to work.
Confirming the High Risk – Troubling Stats
To put things in perspective, a report from 2023, based on 2022 OSHA data, blew the lid off Amazon’s safety record. Compared to other non-Amazon warehouses, injuries at Amazon facilities were 70% higher.
In 2021, Amazon’s safety woes didn’t abate. The company alone accounted for about half of all workplace injuries in American warehouses.
Amazon Employees Up the Ante
Amazon’s troubling safety record led to some hard choices for its employees. In 2021, a group of drivers sued the company. They claimed their work conditions were so bad they had to use bottles and bags to relieve themselves to meet their quota.
Amazon allegedly tracked employees aggressively, leading to a female employee being disciplined for straying off course to locate a bathroom. The lady protested about the lack of female-friendly restroom policies in place.
Keeling’s Confirmation and Opposition
No date has been fixed for Keeling’s confirmation hearing by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. A sure guess, though, is that the Democrats, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders, may not be enthusiastic about this nomination.
In Conclusion
David Keeling’s rise to a key role at OSHA creates a stir due to violation records from his past roles at UPS and Amazon. His upcoming confirmation hearing is expected to draw significant attention, encompassing the entire spectrum covering worker safety, rights, and employer responsibilities. This is an evolving story that will impact all stakeholders in the corporate and labor ecosystem of the US, and it warrants close observation.